Devices for simultaneously positioning a golf ball and an associated tee have previously been described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,826 to Thefts discloses a device which includes a pair of pivoting arms mounted at the lower end of an elongated hollow shaft. The arms releasably hold a golf ball and tee. The Thefts device uses a cam action to open the arms which is distinct from, and not equivalent to, a pivotal link action.
Such a cam action is disadvantageous because a foot member of the device must be moved upwardly so that the arms pivot radially in an outwardly direction. The arms are not connected to the foot member or actuating rod member except for slidable movement which occurs upon cam activated movement of the arms relative to the foot member. Thefts provides a single supporting leg that is pivotally supported adjacent the upper end of the hollow shaft and is retained along the shaft by a retainer clip. The Thefts single supporting leg cannot be used unless the Thefts device is inclined. Also, the Trefts device does not include means for longitudinally retracting the leg from the bottom portion of the device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,013,295 and 4,714,250 to Baughman and Henthorn, respectively, and French Patent No. 1,457,651 to Torregrosa each disclose articulated jaws for holding golf balls, but only Baughman and Henthorn disclose jaws which are also suitable for use in concurrently setting a tee. Baughman disadvantageously requires a plurality of biasing spring members for jaw control, and each jaw member below its pivot axis is connected to a different link member with the opposite ends of link members being connected together.
Moreover, Baughman requires an actuating superpositioned block assembly which fits like a cap over the jaw pair and which can be moved vertically and reciprocally to provide jaw articulation. This block assembly requires a separate spring-loaded piston for articulating each jaw member and also a separate spring-loaded piston for applying a yielding axial force against a golf ball held between the pair of jaw members. Because of the number of parts, the relatively sensitive interrelationship therebetween and the complicated assembly procedure, the Baughman device is evidently not practical to make or use.
Henthorn uses a jaw member pair each one of which is cup-shaped. A force must be directly transmitted through the ball during setting to open the jaws. In particular, a chain is pulled upwardly near the setting device shaft top, and the jaws pivot about a common transversely extending pin. The Henthorn device appears to have a possible problem in resetting the jaws to a closed position from an open position so as to achieve a gripping action about a golf ball or tee while the user is in a standing position. Respective weak and strong spring members are required for opening and closing biasing. No auxiliary structure sufficient for including a retractable spike support exists in that device.
The art needs an improved, reliable, yet relatively simple, golf ball and tee setting device which overcomes the problems associated with prior art devices and which enables a golfer, particularly a golfer with back problems, to operate the device from a standing position without complicated or required delicate movements.